EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J.—The New York Jets have too many problems to fix this season.

After embarrassing themselves on national television Thursday night during a 49-19 loss to the New England Patriots, the Jets (4-7) have been exposed. They can no longer compete with top teams like the Patriots (8-3), who have beaten the Jets four consecutive times.

There has been too much talk about Tim Tebow this season, and not enough talk about all the things wrong with the Jets: The lack of playmakers on offense, the inconsistent play of quarterback Mark Sanchez, the defense that yields too many big plays.

Even if coach Rex Ryan returns, and he probably will, the Jets need a different direction. Here are at least three things the Jets need to face between now and the end of the season.

1. Sanchez is not improving. Ryan said he would stick with Sanchez as his starter after Thursday’s game. He refused to put the blame for the loss mostly on his shoulders.

"It’s hardly on one guy," Ryan said. "Mark, he had a 94 quarterback rating. I thought Mark threw the ball well."

However, Sanchez’s propensity for key turnovers continues to be alarming. With the game still 0-0 in the first quarter, Sanchez threw a pick in the red zone that kept the Jets from taking the lead. Patriots safety Steve Gregory made a superb play on the ball, but Sanchez, now in is fourth season, is not progressing as a quarterback.

It’s almost imperative for Super Bowl contenders to have consistent play at quarterback. Sanchez is not giving that to the Jets. If the Jets can’t get better play out of Sanchez, they need to figure out how to get a different starting quarterback after this season.

2. The Jets’ underuse of Tebow has made having him seem pointless. Tebow did not play Thursday night, because he was laboring from fractured ribs suffered in Week 10 against the Seahawks.

"They need a little time to get better," Tebow said after the game.

Even when Tebow is healthy, it’s obvious the Jets have no clear-cut plans for him. At this point, it’s hard to understand why the Jets acquired Tebow, who has not been given a real opportunity to succeed or fail.

Asked if this season had been disappointing to him personally, Tebow said, "I didn’t know what to expect, so everything has been new to me. I’m just trying to handle every situation as best I can."

If Tebow’s ribs heal before the end of the season, the Jets need to start using him for an entire series or two, to see if he can provide a spark. After this season, the Jets need to either give Tebow a bigger role, or part with him. Ryan clearly does not trust Tebow as his starting quarterback, and Tebow deserves a chance to have a greater impact.

3. The Jets don’t have enough talent to compete with the AFC heavyweights. This was true even before Darrelle Revis and Santonio Holmes were lost to season-ending injuries. The Patriots had more talent and playmakers on the field Thursday night than the Jets. A lot of the Jets’ opponents have more talent, particularly on the offensive side of the football.

If Mike Tannenbaum keeps his job as general manager, he needs to do a better job. The gap between the Patriots and the Jets is widening, not narrowing. As long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are with the Patriots, the Jets know winning the division will not be easy.

"There’s no coach I’d ever want to play for than him," Brady said of Belichick after Thursday’s game. "He’s so consistent and as a player, I think we really appreciate that. He’s tough, he’s disciplined, and that’s what we need."

That’s where the Jets need to get.

"I know our fans deserve a heck of a lot better than this," Ryan said after the game. "We’re about as wounded as you can possibly be, but we’re not dead. We will give everything we have, every ounce of energy we have to get this thing going."

Everything the Jets have right now is not good enough. Their remaining schedule is not overwhelming, but the Jets have not won two straight games all season. What would make anyone believe they will win five straight, after watching all the mistakes they made Thursday?

The Jets will keep insisting that their season isn’t over, but here’s the reality: The Jets, in Ryan’s fourth year, are heading in the wrong direction.